The STAR Program completed its fifth year of funding in 2014 and we are resubmitting the grant for consideration. The Program has been an integral contributor in effectively training underrepresented minority, first generation, economically disadvantaged, and disabled students to pursue health, biomedical, and biobehavioral research pathways. The long-term objective of the Program's next five years is to expand its initiatives to increase from 71% to 75% the number of participants, entering and completing biomedical and behavioral majors and eventually matriculating into professional/graduate programs. To fulfill this objective, the UW STAR Program team proposes to bring together an expanded set of activities and a collaborative team of faculty and staff to implement its initiative. While continung to strengthen students' academic and technical skills, the Program will also focus on helping participants understand the role of heart, lung, and blood-related research and the subsequent impact of this research in addressing health disparities in underrepresented communities. (End of Abstract)